The current Big East Conference will be called the American Athletic Conference starting next season.The Big East football schools were in need of a new name after they agreed to let seven basketball schools break away from the conference to start a new league this summer to be called the Big East.

The American Athletic Conference will have 10 members in its first season: Rutgers, Louisville, Connecticut, South Florida, Cincinnati, Central Florida, Memphis, Houston, SMU and Temple.

Connecticut women’s coach Geno Auriemma said Mark Cuban’s notion of drafting Brittney Griner in the NBA would “be a sham”.

Cuban, the owner of the Mavericks, said on Tuesday he would consider drafting Griner, the 6-foot-8 senior standout for Baylor. Auriemma said yesterday that “The fact that a woman could actually play right now in the NBA and compete successfully against the level of play that they have is absolutely ludicrous.”

The Grizzlies have signed guard and former Net Keyon Dooling out of retirement to add more depth. The 32-year-old announced his retirement Sept. 20 after signing with the Celtics on July 31.

Kevin Ware was cleared by doctors to accompany his Louisville teammates on their flight to Atlanta for the Final Four. The sophomore, who broke his right leg last weekend, plans to be a full participant in preparations for Saturday’s game against Wichita State.

NHL: Former Devil Sullivan headed back to NJ

The Devils acquired forward Steve Sullivan from the Coyotes for a seventh-round draft pick. The 38-year-old Sullivan started his NHL career with the Devils, playing parts of two seasons from 1995-97. He has 288 goals and 454 assists in 16 NHL seasons with six teams.

ETC: Banks gets NFL shot after rape acquittal

Brian Banks signed with the Falcons, after spending five years in prison and five years on probation following his conviction of rape and kidnapping charges a decade ago. He has since been exonerated. Banks was a 16-year-old junior and had made a verbal commitment to sign with USC when a Long Beach Poly high school classmate accused him of the rape.

Rory McIlroy will tee off today in the Texas Open looking to sharpen his game prior to next week’s Masters. McIlroy’s play since he won the PGA Championship in August has dropped him a spot, from No. 1 to 2.

According to a report from former Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts’ website, Auburn’s football program violated NCAA recruiting rules including changing up to nine players’ grades so they would be academically eligible for the 2011 BCS National Championship game.